1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a compact, hand portable, mobile electroplating unit which incorporates all of the materials and equipment, including a D.C. power source, required for electroplating a metallic surface while the user is seated on the unit. In particular, this invention relates to such a unit for electroplating gold on selected metallic surfaces of vehicles.
2. Description of Prior Art
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,752,752 and 4,668,364 disclose hand portable electroplating kits. The kit shown in each of the patents comprises an attache or brief case in which the equipment for performing an electroplating operation is housed. The brief case type arrangement of the patented kits requires that they be supported on a stable surface during use, and that an operator or user take a position in front of and facing the open case and the harmful, or even dangerous, metal treating chemicals contained in the lower compartment of the kit. Apart from the hazards inherent in the use of the kits, they lack the mobility and maneuverability called for in the in-place gold plating of emblems and other metal surfaces of a motor vehicle where frequent changing of positions and orientation with relation to a surface to be plated are necessary. The kits shown in the patents have the further disadvantage of requiring manual control by a user of voltage output for each plating operation, an in-exact procedure which can lead to an unsatisfactory or poor finished product. The kit shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,668,364 has a unique disadvantage in that it utilizes a 24 carat gold anode to electroplate a gold film on a surface. Wholly apart from the prohibitive expense of employing an anode of that character in any plating operation, let alone in the gold plating of emblems and other metal surfaces of a vehicle, the expense of providing adequate security to prevent theft of the gold anode would militate against the use of the apparatus shown in the patent.